Pages

Thursday, May 15, 2014

I'll make this relatively short since I don't want to bore you with the details and a lot of it is the same as yesterday.

The fiber drink wasn't as bad this morning. I think it's because I knew what was coming and I knew that once I chugged all 8 ounces of the grainy goodness down, I could continue with my morning and that the MRS shake was coming 30 minutes later.

I made the Mandarin Orange Spark this morning - it's not bad but definitely not as good as the Fruit Punch. It did mix a lot better with the Fiber Drink than the Fruit Punch did flavor-wise.

So... Day 2 and Go...

Breakfast: Chocolate MRS on my way to work. I think tomorrow I'll add some ice cubes. I think it would be super yummy with some ice mixed in. And if I wasn't leaving the house at 6:00 in the morning, I'd throw it all in a blender. Yum!Mid-Morning Snack: Small peach. I was going to have some mixed nuts with it as well but realized that I was really full after the peach.

Afternoon Snack: Nada...is this bad of me? I just wasn't hungry. So as I was cooking, I munched on some carrots, cucumbers and whatnots.

Dinner: Orange Roughy crusted in spices with orange avocado salsa and cucumber salad (The fish is amazing. Seriously...go make it now.. the recipes follow!)

Evening Snack: Nada. I was so busy and hungry I didn't feel like making anything.

How I'm Feeling:

Still chugging water like a champ. I've decided my body is literally just water now. Enough of this "55% of my body is water" bullshit. I am 100% water. I am Poseidon. I am pissing both water and excellence.

I'm going to need to dial it down a little, huh?

Ahem.

Honestly, prior to beginning the Challenge, I used to eat like a horse. I would have breakfast, but then mid-morning I'd get the munchies. And then by lunch time I was ravenous. So far I'm feeling pretty good. I think that's a concern any time you adjust your eating habits or start a diet. You wonder, "am I really going to be full?" So far so good.

Got the yawns around 2:30, so I chugged some Spark and felt good as new. Other than that, still no cravings, and still feeling pretty good. We'll see how things go this weekend when I'm out with friends or fatassing around the apartment.

Alright - on to the main event: recipes.

Fish with Orange Avocado Salsa
Originally, this was a recipe intended to be used with salmon. Unfortunately, I have an aversion to salmon unless it is smoked, thinly sliced and served on a fresh bagel with cream cheese, capers, red onions and dill. And now I'm drooling. Awesome.

But using a hearty whitefish that you can either grill or pan-sear is great. It holds up well to the bright flavors of the citrus, tangy flavor of the onion, smoke from the cumin and chili powder, and creaminess of the avocado. It's got a little bit of everything and the flavor doesn't scream "healthy". Bonus? The spice rub creates a nice crust so it's like you're almost eating lightly fried fish... only not. Because this is a healthy-ass recipe.Ingredients
(Fish)
4 fish fillets (I used orange roughy but feel free to use Salmon)
1 T. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. pepper

2. Rub seasoning blend on both sides of your fish, or the non-skin side of your salmon fillets.

3. Heat a non-stick pan to medium/medium-high heat. Feel free to use a grill pan or outdoor grill here. Since it was rainy here in Chicago, I decided just to use a large skillet with a bit of olive oil. Place your fish in your pan presentation side down (or skin-side up if you're using salmon).

4. Cook for 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness of your fish. Salmon can take 4-5 minutes, my fish took about 3. Flip to other side and continue cooking until the fish is cooked to your liking, about 2-4 minutes.

5. For the salsa, in a medium bowl mix together the oranges, diced avocado, onion, jalapeno, lime juice, and cilantro.

6. To serve, plate your fish and top with the salsa. Enjoy!

Cucumber Salad
Anytime I get Chinese takeout, I automatically scan the "salads" section of the menu to see if they have cucumber salad. I love the refreshing and bright flavors. This is a great salad whether or not you're doing a cleanse. Stevia, a sweet-leaf plant native to South America is a great substitute for sugar. Stevia has no calories, a zero glycemic index (no carbs), no artificial ingredients, and has no effect on blood sugar. It's also a good choice for diabetic individuals.

If you'd prefer not to go the Stevia route or you just like the taste of sugar, by all means. Feel free to use table sugar in the place of the Stevia.

Ingredients
2 English Cucumbers, sliced in half (lengthwise) and seeded. If you can't find English Cucumbers, regular cucumbers are just fine. Just be sure to peel them to remove the waxy skin.
1/2 c. julienned carrots (or just grab a bag of the "matchstick" kind)
1 small red onion (or 1/2 of the medium one you have left over from the Orange Avocado Salsa recipe)
1/2 T. salt
2 T. white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. Stevia in the raw
3 tsp. dried dill (or 3 T. fresh. Feel free to use more or less depending on your preferences)

Method
1. Thinly slice your cucumbers and onions.

2. In a colander, toss your cucumbers and onion with the salt and let drain for 20 minutes. Press out the liquid from the vegetables and rinse well with cold water. Note: You might need to rinse your cucumbers and onions two or three times.

3. In a medium bowl mix the white wine vinegar and Stevia. Add in veggies (including the carrots) and toss to coat. Stir in the dill and enjoy.

I'm off to go binge-watch Dexter with Chris, and play with Roux. Although since today was her doggy-daycare day, she's more interested in sleeping than she is in me. Such is life.

No comments:

Post a Comment

About Me

Hi! I'm Liesl and welcome to my ever-changing blog. I'm a former teacher, culinary-school drop-out, bartender/server/retail-whore/line cook turned 9-5 professional. I live my life sarcastically, energetically, and full of good food and amazing people. Join me on my journey with a full glass of wine and a healthy appetite.